Wow! We've spent the most amazing couple of weeks showing off our beautiful country to the IGLTA (International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association) and members of the IGLTA which included tour operators and agents from across the globe. We hosted representatives from Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Australia and the UK. What a combination! All aboard the fun bus!
We've laughed until we've cried and we've made some very good friends in the process. Today is a sad day indeed as we wave goodbye to the IGLTA (sadder for them though as most of them head back to a Northern Hemisphere winter!).
The idea behind the 'Fam' ('familiarisation' rather than 'family', although in this case, that works too) trip was to get members of the IGLTA to see our wonderful country and to understand what a fantastic destination it is for gay and lesbian travellers. It is always such a treat to show our country to people who know very little about the place or what to expect. And boy were they impressed! What a pleasure it was to host such a fantastic and passionate bunch of people. Whether it was Babs sporting her safari-chic, bee keeper's outfit (apparently to keep the mosquitoes away), Bill (the one that looks like Prince William - more Prince than William) breaking out into an impromptu dance or Andrew and Alan forcing the Amro bear upon any willing bystander for a quick photo opportunity - there was never a dull moment.
David Ryan is the South African Ambassador to the IGLTA and is working hard to expand the membership base. The Gay & Lesbian travel market is a huge, untapped market from which we can all benefit by working together to promote the country as the stunningly beautiful, culturally eclectic and supremely tolerant destination that it is.
Rhino Africa and Out2Africa hosted two separate groups for two weeks - each spent a week in Cape Town staying at the MannaBay and 3 wonderful nights at Londolozi Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand where everyone saw the Big 5 and Babs (our lady from Las Vegas) managed to accessorize with the Big 5. For those who have never been on safari, it really is a life changing experience and for these guys, it was no exception as they got up close and personal some of Africa's most magnificent wildlife - rhino, elephants, leopards, lion and buffalo were in abundance. As was the food and wine - Bacchus eat your heart out!
A big thank you to the teams at Rhino Tripping, Bateleur Air, SA Airlink, MannaBay and Londolozi for your help and generous support over the last few weeks in making the trip such an enormous success.
We also hosted two small networking events at MannaBay so that the IGLTA members could meet local gay business owners as well as Cape Town Tourism - both events were really well attended and a great opportunity to swap some ideas and make some great new contacts.
We checked out the 'Gaybourhood' around De Waterkant and Green Point, we ate burgers at Beefcakes and partied the nights away at the Crew nightclub. We went star 'gayzing' up Signal Hill and sampled some amazing wines in the Cape Winelands from Meerlust and Kannonkop to Dieu Donne where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and an even more spectacular view. We drank a lot of pink champagne and we even saw penguins on a day tour to Cape Point.
Our whole hearted thanks goes out to the IGLTA and members who came on the Fam trips - you were an incredible bunch. We cannot wait to continue working with you and look forward to growing our friendships and networks. The next stop is Fort Lauderdale for the IGLTA convention in May 2011 - and what a convention that is going to be! The biggest ever IGLTA convention is expected and we cannot wait to be a part of it.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of the IGLTA or about booking your luxury safari trip to South Africa then just drop us a line at enquiries@rhinoafrica.com
Here is the IGLTA Fam Trip cast in order of appearance:
Keith W. Hickman
Travel Impressions
keith.hickman@travimp.com
www.travimp.com
Babs Daitch
Thanks Babs Tours
thanksbabs@gmail.com
www.thanksbabs.com
David Hodgkinson
Travel Leaders RI
dave@travelleadersri.com
https://travelleaders.com/cranstonri
Sue Bohme
Out Travel
sue@outandabouttravel.com.au
www.outandabouttravel.com.au
Thomas Nibbio and William Gitchel
IGLTA
tom@iglta.org
Andrew Roberts
Amro Worldwide
andrew.roberts@amroholidays.com
www.amroholidays.com
Alan Wilkes
Amro Worldwide
andrew.roberts@amroholidays.com
Jonathan Klein
Now Voyager
jk@nowvoyager.com
www.nowvoyager.com
Jay Eisen
Mrjaygotham@aol.com
Happy Holidays to Y'All and we look forward to seeing you again in 2011!!!
